Sarasota, Florida -- As of Wednesday, the Sarasota Police Department joins a growing number of agencies that are closing their front desk overnight.
The police chief says the move is to make the streets safer although some disagree.
The decision is part of a bigger problem -- not enough officers.
During the day, the front desk at the Sarasota Police Department is a busy place, but under new hours at 9 p.m. the doors will lock until 6 a.m. the next morning.
"We are doing this as a way of smart policing," says Genevieve Judge, spokesperson for Sarasota police. "This allows us to take the officer who normally sits here from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. and actually put them on the street."
Across the street from the station is Payne Park, which closes at 11 p.m. Victoria Ordonez often takes her kids to the playground.
"To close the doors, especially at night when things really happen, that's bad to do," she says.
Anyone needing help can use the new emergency call box outside the front door which have instructions in both English and Spanish.
"It will automatically and immediately contact a dispatcher at our 911 emergency center," explains Judge.
Judge says an officer patrolling the Sarasota PD area would respond.
"How fast can 911 get here, or an ambulance not that fast?" Ordonez asks. "Anything can happen in a minute."
Just how fast, 911 can't say because the call box system is new.
Judge says their research shows the department has not had many people using the front desk lobby overnight.
The Sarasota Police Department has eight openings right now and it estimates a need for 40 more officers over the next five years as officers retire.
"We felt our best use is to have an officer that is patrolling the neighborhood keeping the city safe rather than behind a desk," Judge says.
10 News checked and there are other law enforcement agencies closing the front desk overnight:
St. Pete police tells us their front desk closes overnight, but there is a phone out front for emergency calls.
Treasure Island and Gulfport police also close for several hours overnight and have call boxes. The Venice, Bradenton Beach and Anna Maria police departments also close along with the Winter Haven police department.
LEO agencies that remain open are the police departments in Bradenton, Holmes Beach and North Port. Both the Sarasota and Manatee county sheriff's offices are all open 24 hours a day.
The Hillsborough Sheriff and Tampa police departments' district offices also stay open overnight,
